


Sadie Hawkins Dance

by Browneyesparker



Series: Bughead Stories [21]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, Inspired by a random episode of Step by Step I watched when I couldn't sleep, Riverdale, School Dances, Unrequited Crush, bughead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-04 03:23:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14583888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Browneyesparker/pseuds/Browneyesparker
Summary: “What. . . what if I did ask you to go with me?” Betty asked bravely. “I’m not doing this because I feel bad for you or you’re my second choice.”OrBetty asks Jughead to be her date to the Riverdale Middle School Sadie Hawkins Dance.





	Sadie Hawkins Dance

**.**

“Are you going to the Sadie Hawkins?” Betty Cooper asked her best friend Jughead Jones as she leaned against his locker, waiting for him to get his history book out before the went to class together.

“Dances are just a social construct—”

Betty held up her hand. “I know. You already told me last time there was a school dance. You don’t need to tell me again. Has anybody at least asked you to go with them?”

Jughead shook his head. “No. I think you know as well as I do about the list, Betty.”

“The list?” Betty repeated.

“The list going around school with the acceptable boys for girls to ask,” Jughead answered. “Reggie told me that I 100 percent didn’t make the cut.”

Betty’s heart sank at the cruelty of her fellow classmates. “I’m sorry Juggie. . .”

Jughead shrugged. “I don’t care. I wasn’t going to go if anybody asked me anyways. I can’t think of any girl I would want to spend the length of a dance with unless it was you and we both know you aren’t going to ask me.”

Betty’s mouth suddenly felt very dry because the truth of the matter was, asking Jughead _hadn’t_ crossed her mind. She had been plotting to ask Archie Andrews to escort her for days. But she was hit with a sudden desire to show people that they couldn’t dictate who was suitable to be her date or not.

“What. . . what if I _did_ ask you to go with me?” Betty asked bravely. “I’m not doing this because I feel bad for you or you’re my second choice.”

Jughead’s eyebrows shot up. “I thought you were going to ask Archie.”

“I’m sure Archie is going to have his fair share of girls to pick from,” Betty replied. “Besides, who am I kidding? I’d probably be the last person he took if I asked him to come with me.”

“You should be his first choice!” Jughead said generously. “You’re. . . you’re. . . are you asking me to be your date?”

Betty nodded. “I am. I’m not going to let a piece of paper tell me what to do. I know you don’t care for them that much but I’d be honored to go with you. If you really don’t care about social constructs, you’d come with me because everyone is saying you can’t go. If it’s totally awful, we can leave early and go see a movie—”

“I-I’ll go with you,” Jughead interjected. “But don’t expect it to become a habit. Just because I do it once doesn’t mean I’m automatically your date to every school dance from now until we’re seniors in high school.”

“I promise it’ll just be this one time!” Betty said, holding out her pinky finger for him, he took it with his and they shook on it.

**.**

Jughead was waiting for Betty to arrive at Pop Tate’s diner for a little pre-dance dinner and he was starting to feel out of place in his suit and tie even though his mother had purchased them from a Goodwill in Greendale. He got up from the booth he was sitting in and went to the jukebox, he fed it two quarters and hit the song selection he wanted to play.

As “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here” started to play, the bell above the door entered and suddenly it was like a scene from a movie as Betty entered the Chock’Lit Shoppe. Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion as she came towards him with her hair down, light makeup, a jeweled headband, and a dress the color of sapphires.

She looked like a _Girl’s Life Magazine_ dream. He couldn’t believe he was actually lucky enough to be the one to go with her, he sucked in a breath and wiped his damp palms on his pants.

Betty smiled at him as she stopped in front of him. “Hi,” she said shyly.

“Hi,” Jughead replied bashfully. “You look nice.”

“You look nice too,” Betty answered.

Jughead shuffled gracelessly, wondering what it was outside jeans and beanies and ponytails that made this encounter so different than the other ones. He had probably shared burgers and fries and milkshakes with Betty at Pop’s a million times. This. . . this wasn’t any different than those times. They were just two friends, going to a dance together as friends.

It didn’t help that he had been in love with her for as long as he could remember and there was no way she’d ever reciprocate his feelings for her.

“Should we eat?” Jughead asked. “It’s my treat tonight.”

“Oh. . . I could barely eat,” Betty said lightly.

Jughead knew what she meant, for the first time in his life, he wasn’t sure how he would stomach food. He had a crazy amount of butterflies in his belly. But of course, with a supreme burger and extra fries in front of him, he was sure he could put in his best efforts.

He reached out for her hand and took it tentatively, breathing a sigh of relief when he let her take it.

As soon as they sat down, Pop came to take their order, beaming at both of them.

“You two look mighty fine! Are you going to the dance together tonight?” He asked.

“Yeah,” Jughead admitted timidly.

“That’s wonderful! You two are a real nice looking couple,” Pop said, causing the both of them to blush. “So, what’ll it be tonight? The usual?”

Jughead and Betty both nodded and then fell backwards into their seats. They looked at each other, both trying to think about something to talk about like it was just a regular friend outing. He wanted things to be able to go back to normal on Monday morning.

He didn’t have to worry for long though. Because once Pop brought their milkshakes, Betty suddenly came to life, chatting about school and _The Diary of Anne Frank_ and how it had inspired her to start a diary of her own.

By the time they were done with their food, they were both a lot more relaxed. Hal swung by the diner to take them to the dance.

When they got to the school, Jughead waited while Kevin Keller, Ethel Muggs, and two of the three Pussy Cats took turns fussing over Betty. Finally, she dragged him into the gym and they parked themselves by the punch and snacks.

Archie was already front and center, grooving to a Nick Jonas song with Ginger Lopez. If Betty noticed, she didn’t let on. She grabbed a carrot stick and started to eat it. Jughead wondered if she expected him to ask her to dance. He suspected she wouldn’t want to stand around like a wallflower all night, chatting with him about things they talked about every single day.

“Jealous” ended and Archie bounded over to him with Ginger at his heels.

“Hey guys!” he said. “You two look really nice!”

“Your dress is pretty,” Ginger added begrudgingly as she looked Betty over.

“Thank you,” Betty replied. “Are you having a nice time?”

“We’re having a lot of fun,” Archie answered, slinging his arm around Ginger. “Hey Jughead, ask Betty to dance sometime! She shouldn’t sit around all night just watching.”

“You don’t have to ask me to dance!” Betty assured him as Archie and Ginger disappeared.

“You’d think Archie would ask you since he’s so concerned about it. . .” Jughead trailed off and swallowed. “I mean. . .”

Betty shook her head. “Don’t worry about it!”

Jughead picked up an Oreo and stuffed it in his mouth as “Shake It Off!” started to play. Midge, Ethel, Val, and Melody all came up to Betty.

“We’re stealing your date, Jones!” Melody said as she took Betty’s hand and pulled her to the dance floor.

Jughead watched as the group of girls sang along with the track and tried to mimic Taylor Swift’s moves in the “Shake it Off!” music video. Thankfully when the song ended, they kept her for two or three more. He was thankful for the break from overthinking everything while her friends attended to her.

When she returned, her cheeks flushed from the exercise, and out of breath, Jughead thought he’d pass out a little. She was so pretty, he watched her gulp down punch and tried to catch his own breath.

The next song was slow, Kevin came and sheepishly asked Betty if she wanted to dance.

“Sorry Juggie,” Betty said apologetically as Kevin whirled her to the dance floor with all the grace of a young Broadway actor.

Finally, it was the last dance of the night. An Ellie Goulding song blasted from the speakers and the lights dimmed. Betty came up to Jughead and took his hands, she pulled him to the dance floor and wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands automatically went around her waist and they swayed together.

He forgot to feel completely awkward when he looked at her and she smiled for what seemed like the millionth time that night. If he knew how to find the words, if he wasn’t him, if it were a movie. . . he guessed this is would have been the part where he kissed her.

Except it wasn’t a movie, he was himself, and even though he considered himself an aspiring writer, he couldn’t find the right words to say to her. He guessed maybe tonight would be the only night he got with her like this while _love me like you do, love me like you do_ played while he held her.

Because she was a princess and he was a mere commoner from the wrong side of the tracks. Her happily ever after would not include him.

But tonight, on the notes of a love song, he could pretend that maybe it did. He would talk himself out of it in the morning.

**The End**

**.**

**Author's Note:**

> So, yeah, I know the ending is unsatisfying and I know I should be sorry but I think it’s powerful this way. I cannot promise a sequel or a second part, my mind is everywhere these days but I will update the stories I have in the works because I know where I’m going with a fraction of them. Except the ending of “Hello Darkness My Old Friend”, I am still chasing an ending. Anyways, tell me what you thought! I’ll be back soon.
> 
> Until Next Time!


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